… and actually get them done by the end of the same week!
Since yesterday was a bank holiday completing your many objectives this week may seem more challenging than normal.
But do you ever wonder how even regular weeks just seems to slip by without quite managing to get everything done? Could there be a way to help ensure that you meet your objectives from Monday to Friday?
Fortunately there are a few handy tips that you can follow to help make your working week a whole lot more productive:
Writing a “To Do” list. It could even include getting a print quote for our company brochure
TIP ONE: Start by actually writing down what you plan to get done this week:
This sounds blindingly obvious I know but holding everything in your head just isn’t going to cut it. Instead grab a pen & paper or use your PC or Smartphone and simply write down a simple list of those work jobs large and small that want to get nailed this very week.
TIP TWO: Prioritise your list:
You know that list you just produced? Go ahead and number it from number ONE to whatever. Where ONE is the highest priority and the largest number the lowest.
TIP THREE: Assign a day to each item on your list:
Sometimes my list will just turn up much longer than expected. So long in fact that there is no realistic chance of me getting all those jobs done in a week – especially a short one like this week. So starting from number ONE on your list go down and mentally work through what’s involved to complete each item. Number ONE might be extraordinarily urgent – phone a supplier about a delivery needed this pm – but in fact pretty fast to complete. While number FOUR on your list might be an entire day’s work on its own.
Now add a day name and am or pm next to each task. So, that phone call at slot number ONE is obviously Tuesday am, whereas that long job at number FOUR actually requires a whole day. I’ll do that on Wednesday.
TIP FOUR: Rationalise your list:
Right, now I’ve got a pretty good idea about what’s going to actually fit in my week; so I also know what won’t. I’m going to draw a line underneath the place in my list beyond which I won’t necessarily be expecting to complete the items below this week.
Now I don’t physically remove the items below that line because they are going to make up the start of my list for next week. Also I might just find that I either speed through some other tasks faster than I could have ever imagined, or some drop out because of external factors beyond my control. In either case I could then start working on next week’s items this week.
TIP FIVE: Just Do it!
I’m a big believer in getting myself organised, but there’s a point beyond which all that organisation – writing lists and prioritising – can start to become more onerous than the actual work that you’re supposed to be completing.
So my final tip is to say “Just Do It”. Get on with working through your new list. Keep it to hand throughout the week by pinning it on your wall or carrying it around on your Smartphone. Whatever makes you happy. But the main thing now is to take action. Oh, and crossing of each item as you go will provide you with a small sense of satisfaction and various points during your day 🙂
Okay, since writing this blog entry was number THREE on my list this week, I’m about to cross that off and move onto number FOUR.
Have a great week.
Dan
